PUNE: The Indian Davis Cup team is all set to make its first visit to Pakistan in 60 years in February after the All India Tennis Association’s appeal to shift the World Group I playoff tie from Islamabad to a neutral venue was rejected by an ITF tribunal.
After the two teams were drawn against each other for the February 3-4 clash in September, the AITA had written to the ITF's Davis Cup Committee (DCC) to move the tie to a neutral venue citing security concerns in the light of strained political relations between the two nations.
After the DCC turned down its request, AITA took its appeal to an ITF tribunal, a single-judge forum.
"The DCC’s decision to hold the tie in Pakistan has solid grounds and it is pertinent on all the nations to visit the venue (country) selected by the DCC for the Davis Cup ties," Judge David Casserly of the ITF Tribunal was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s daily 'The News' on Saturday.
AITA secretary general Anil Dhupar confirmed the development but said he was yet to receive the full order of the tribunal.
“We have submitted that we (India) are not other countries. There is a strong anti-nation feeling between India and Pakistan. We had also mentioned that India doesn’t have bilateral (sporting) ties with Pakistan. I don’t know the tribunal’s reasoning to reject these arguments since we have not received the order. We have received only an intimation that our appeal has been rejected,” Dhupar told TOI, adding he expected the tribunal’s order to be with him by Monday.
India have a 7-0 head-to-head record against Pakistan and only twice — in 1973 and 2019 — have the two sides played at a neutral venue. The last time the Indian team travelled across the border was in 1964 when they played in Lahore.
Dhupar said the AITA would seek the government’s approval to play the tie on Monday, but said that there were not many options on the table.
“This is a World Cup (as opposed to a bilateral series). So maybe they (government) won’t object,” he said.
Forfeiting a tie could result in severe sanctions, including demotion and a heavy fine.
